Extreme Hiking Hawaii

This was another one of those “Nate-inspired” adventures.  Back in April (2011) he shared with us an archived account of a group of HTMCers from the early days (1911) descending into Maunawillifrom the top of Kaau Crater.  They reportedly went top-down using ropes, and endured several scares and injuries along the way.  Nate found reports of a couple more descents, but no ascents.  We (me, August, Duc) were game to check it out.  Using a VERY old hand-drawn map that Nate provided, along with careful studying of the topo maps, I had an idea for which ridge it might be.  However, being so obscure and not standing out from its neighbor ridges, we would need great visibility (no clouds on the summit) to guide in on the powerline towers that conveniently mark the summit.  But getting there would prove more difficult then we imaged.  As it happens, a dragon lives on this ridge and fiercely guards against visitors.  See photo below.   Back-story : The “dragon thing” originated during fatig

There are some sketchy sections of the Koolau summit ridge and one of them is the segment from the Moanalua Saddle (reached via the Kulana’ahane trail from deep in Moanalua Valley) to Keahiakahoe and the top of the Haiku Stairs (aka Stairway to Heaven). [Photo at left is by David Chatsuthiphan]. Although not heavily hiked, this section has been done with some regularity in recent years and was documented quite well by David Chatsuthiphan @ Unreal Hawaii, who says... What a hike. We had the good fortune last weekend to be invited to hike the Moanalua Saddle to Haiku Stairs. The hike was lead by Marcus, an avid Oahu extreme hiker. He does this trail frequently and offered to lead us on it. Had he not been available to show us the way, I’m certain that I would not have attempted this trail. It’s very risky. One slip up and you would be tumbling down the mountain. Read more...

    View of Punaluu from Castle Trail As is my weekly custom, I phoned my hiking buddy Laredo Murray on Friday night to suggest a jaunt we could do the next day (Saturday, April 17th, 1999). Sundays are usually reserved for HTM trail clearing. I bounced some possibilities off "Rainbowman" including a combo of the Castle Trail and Ko'olau Summit Trail (KST). Curious as to how long Castle would take and desiring to experience both the lower and upper sections in one day (something I had never done before), I talked Laredo into joining me for the trek. Where we would end the loop was still up in the air (Waikane? Pauao Ridge?). Kent Bien made it a threesome. Read more...

The "hike" from the Pali Lookout to Konahuanui via the Pali Notches Ridge is now becoming pretty regular fare for hikers hence treks by Pete Clines and friends in Jan 2011 Dave Concepcion and friends in Feb 2011 (see video below)

View of windward Oahu from terminus of Poamoho trail   Kaleo Lancaster and friends recently completed an extreme hike from Poamoho to Schofield, which included that wonderful crossing along the Koolau Summit Trail between the Poamoho and Schofield termini. Kaleo's account begins as follows: Hiked from Poamoho Ridge to Wahiawa Heights last weekend. It was cold, rainy, muddy, and wild. In terms of beauty, not many hikes can touch this one. The route traverses some of the most remote and undeveloped terrain on the island of Oahu, with an incredible two mile walk along the Ko'olau summit trail. Exactly how awesome was it? Unforgettably awesome: in fact, the route is so awesome, that we all agreed to do it every year for as long as we're still alive and able to hike. Yeah, it's that beautiful. Read more from Kaleo .... To lengthen the hike and to avoid the need for vehicle shuttle, it is possible to make this into a big loop which starts and ends at the end of Californ

As far as I know, Lanipo Windward (pictured above, photo by Jeremy Kreis) has not been done since HTMC legend Dick Davis descended this ridge back in the 1940s. But there is renewed interest in LW, especially by Jeremy Kreis (see pic above by him of the ridge), so it seems probable that an attempt will be made JK and friends in the near future. Be careful, folks!

Yesterday, Pete Clines (above left) reported that after eight visits to Pauao Ridge in Kahana Valley, the trail to the summit as been reopened. Joining him for this trail resurrection effort were August Smith (orange shirt) and Duc Ong. Mahalo and good work guys. According to HTMC prez Jay Feldman, the Pauao Hike may be put back on the club schedule after being in mothballs (or overgrown uluhe) for years.

A crew of young intrepid hikers (Jeremy Kreis, Dave Concepcion, Michael David Loftin, Rhonda Navarro Hutchison, and Marcus Griego, L to R above) completed another of those "extremely difficult" (read: death-defying) sections of the Koolau Crest, this one from Pu'u Lanihuli to the saddle at the head of Kalihi Valley (aka Kalihi Saddle). Check out a video depiction of their extreme exploits (by Dave Concepcion)

Not sure how many years it's been. Maybe 30 or 40. But the section of the Koolau crest from Kahuauli (Bowman trail terminus) to the saddle atop Kalihi Valley (above Wilson Tunnel) has been done by Dave Concepcion and friends. He reports: There are three saddles on the Ko'olau mountain range on the island of O`ahu. All three have trans-Ko'olau tunnels running underneath that are part of highways that link the windward side of the island to Honolulu and Waikiki. These are the Moanalua (H-3), Kalihi (Likelike), and Nu'uanu (Pali) Saddles. Numerous hikers have documented their hikes on the Moanalua and Nu'uanu Saddles while Kalihi remained virtually untouched. Hawaii hiking legend Dick Davis called the section between Pu'u Kahuauli and the Kalihi Saddle as no-man's land. Pete Caldwell and Don Fox ascended to the saddle via a steep trail that was situated above the Likelike Tunnels on July 14, 1997. Pete Clines and company did a loop from the h

Some time away from the mountains had me aching for adventure. Thought I would check out this one to scrape the rust off. Turns out it had a little bit of everything: an obscure start, brittle rock, crawler’s ledges, and some ridiculously steep slopes. It was also overgrown; with the upper half being a complete bushwhack. And starting the actual climb from ~600’, there was about 2100’ of elevation gain in a VERY short distance. All told, it was a grueling ascent And most refreshing. 8:15 I left the car parked at the Golf Course/Church. Not sure what it is used for these days. Passed by the waterfall, and eventually reached the point where I would start the ascent. And I am being vague on purpose. This route is very dangerous. Although MUCH less taxing now that is has been cleared, there are a couple critical spots that suffer greatly with each passing hiker. And these spots were horrible BEFORE I further damaged them. Fair warning. The route can be imagined

Duc Ong completed a truly super hike, starting and ending at the top of Maunalani Heights at the head of the Lanipo Trail (aka Maaumae Ridge Trail). Here's his report: First, I would like to thank all of the people who have helped me clear and mark these trails and to all those who came before and provided the inspiration for this project. Not wanting to implicate anyone, I won’t name any names. The route was developed as an expansion to the East Honolulu Rollercoaster, which started from Wai‘alae Nui Valley and ended in Haha‘ione Valley. I wanted to make this a closed loop, so as to avoid the need for car shuttling. In the misty wet morning of the day after the summer solstice at 4:30 AM, at the Lanipo trailhead, I embarked on what is the longest day hike I’ve ever done. By 5 AM, I was beginning the descent down “Ironwood” trail into Wai‘alae Nui Valley. The trail itself hits a pseudo-bottom, where one might think that one has arrived at the valley floor. However

A Koolau Summit Trail hiker from the mainland told me about a water source he found in the Peahinaia section of the trail, and referenced in one of Stuart Ball's books. It is on the windward side of the trail at Peahinaia at a gap. He was able to make a mud dike, stick a straw through it, and slowly fill a water bottle. For people who might not get to the excellent water source at Poamoho junction or those studying the plants in the fence interior and staying thereabouts, decided to pack up and see if I could find the meager source. Thursday June 27, 2002 6:05 AM Walk out the door of house with light backpack. Worked the night before until 3:00 AM and had packed up just before leaving. 6:20 AM Arrive at Hookele and Farrington Highway bus stop. 6:37 Bus #40 "Honolulu" arrives. Pay $1.50, the new higher bus fare, and get a transfer. Thinned down internal frame backpack draws no comment from the driver, and I slide it under my bus seat. 7:28 Get off bus

Lanihuli and reaching it from the Pali Lookout has captivated my imagination and only that for a long time. It was off limits and as far as I was concerned way too dangerous to attempt. I had heard the stories of Kalanikupule and his wife escaping Kamehameha's forces using this route, the 1915 article in the Mid-Pacific Magazine, Lost on Lanihuli By R.H. Lambert , the scouting trip of Al Miller and more recently stories of a "father and son team" that was working on this very route around 2000 - 2001 and they made it! And then Pete Clines did it in April of 2010 ! There are plenty of accounts of people who have not made it and even for those who have, it usually takes multiple attempts. Before continuing on I would like too say thank you to everyone (especially Pete and Stanley) who has put in work and put up ropes, cables etc. to make this a more "manageable route." Without your help this would have been a lot more time consuming and difficult! Afte

Scott Villiger and Dayle Turner completed the ascent on August 13, 2003. They described the climb as "easier than anticipated." Initially, they showed up at the end of Manoa Road at 9 to do some exploratory hiking in Manoa. However the others were no-shows so they decided to go elsewhere to hike. Turner bounced several hike venue options off of Villiger and the one they decided on was an exploratory of the ridge they had spotted a week ago after they had climbed Hahaione's middle ridge. The spotted ridge Turner christened Mauna o Ahi Windward (MOAW) because it crests out very near the topping out point of the ridge of this name. So from Manoa, they drove over to the windward side, leaving Villigers's car at the HTMC clubhouse. They then jumped in Turner's vehicle and drove over to the Waimanalo District Park, where they set off hiking along the 'Nalo backroads, destination the starting point of Bear Claw Ridge. Ten minutes later, they got to the Bear Cla